


The Queen of Dreamland

by orphan_account



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 03:27:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2372849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gilbert is confident that the man he married is the love of his life. However, two years after their wedding, Matthew goes missing. And Gilbert is doing all he can to find him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beside You

The vast hall was decorated from top to bottom, the finest musicians in the land had been hired to play and expensive foods were laid out across large tables.

All of this was to celebrate the engagement of the future king.

So, where was the man of the hour?

Stood out on the balcony.  _Not_ sulking.

He'd be the first to admit that his fiancé was a very beautiful man, on top of having one of the nicest personalities Gilbert had ever come across, but he could never see himself having any romantic feelings toward him.

His fiancé was none other than Feliciano Vargas, someone he'd known since he was five years old.

Did he love him? Of course. Feliciano was a difficult person to dislike. He was bubbly, friendly and so adorable it was almost unbearable. But he loved him the way he loved his brother, he could never marry him.

Besides, there was someone he knew who loved Feliciano more than life itself. Someone who was ripped apart when their parents announced the engagement.

"Gilbert?"

The prince turned and smiled. "Oh, hello Feliciano."

Feliciano smiled back, stepping out onto the balcony and leaning against the rail. "This is all very surreal, isn't it?" he asked.

With a sigh, Gilbert frowned. "I'm calling the engagement off." he whispered.

"What?" Feliciano looked up at him with wide, hurt eyes.

Gilbert grabbed hold of Feliciano's hands. "Feliciano, can you honestly say that you'll be happy being married to me?" he asked.

The Italian averted his gaze.

Giving another sigh, the prince wrapped his arms around Feliciano's shoulders. "I know there's another who can make you happy. Don't we both deserve happiness?" he whispered.

Feliciano returned his embrace, remaining silent.

After a while, Gilbert pulled back from the hug, lacing his fingers between Feliciano's. "Come with me." He said, and he led Feliciano back into the hall, guiding him through dancing couples and skilfully avoiding those who wished to congratulate them.

He stopped in front of his brother, who was stood in a corner. Also  _not_ sulking.

"Ludwig," he gave a small smile.

Ludwig clenched his fists, ready for his brother to flaunt Feliciano in front of him.

Gilbert pulled Feliciano round in front of him, placing his hands on his shoulders. "I know you wont disappoint me when I ask you to take good care of him." he said, a serious expression on his face.

Ludwig's eyes widened. "Gilbert, I—"

"Ssh!" Gilbert stepped around to the side of the two, grabbing each of their wrists and placing Feliciano's tiny hand in Ludwig's. "You deserve each other." He smiled and turned to walk away.

"But Gilbert, what about—"

"Let me deal with the parental unit." Gilbert interrupted, not even looking back.

Ludwig looked back at Feliciano, opening his mouth to speak.

"I didn't know you felt the same way." Feliciano cut him off, looking up at him through his fringe, a small blush dusting his cheeks.

Not knowing what else to say at that moment, Ludwig just smiled and said; "Would you like to dance?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Gilbert was approaching his mother, already shaking slightly. He was more scared of his mother than anything. She was such a lovely woman, but could be so very terrifying when need be.

As usual, Queen Heidi was dressed to impress, a corset pulled tightly around her waist, barely loose enough to be comfortable, a flowing, layered silk skirt and a pretty tiara to top it all off. She was speaking with the prince of the neighbouring kingdom, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, who was engaged to Feliciano's older brother.

"Mutti," Gilbert lay a hand on his mother's shoulder. "May I please speak with you a moment?"

His mother turned and smiled. "Of course, dear. Please excuse us, Antonio."

Antonio nodded and left to find his fiancé.

"What is it, Gilbert?"

Gilbert took a deep breath, summoning all his courage. God knew he needed it. "Mutti, I will not marry Feliciano." he said, firmly.

Heidi faltered, blinking before putting her smile back in place. "Let's talk somewhere a little more private." she said, turned and leading Gilbert towards her study.

The prince knew he was in for it now.

The queen opened the door and ushered her eldest son inside, telling him to take a seat. "Now," she cleared her throat, locking the door and sitting opposite her son. "What do you mean you won't marry Feliciano?"

Gilbert sighed. "I'm sorry, mutti. Neither of us would be happy if we were married."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I  _do_."

Heidi groaned. "Gilbert, I am your mother, I—"

"Don't say you know what's best for me." Gilbert glared over the table. "If you knew us as well as you think you do, you'd know that Ludwig has been in love with Feliciano for years. If you knew us so well, you would have planned a wedding for those two, not me."

"I..." Heidi was a little more than shocked. Had she known of her youngest son's affections towards the Italian, of course she would have planned the wedding for him. She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just that there are certain... expectations that—"

"I know, mutti." Gilbert got to his feet. "But please, let me find someone I actually want to marry." he said.

* * *

Despite calling off then engagement, there was certainly no need to call of the party. The festivities continued well into the night. It was almost two in the morning before the first guest left.

As the crowd thinned out, Gilbert assumed it would be okay to wander into the gardens. He was particularly fond of the old maze. He remember spending the vast majority of his childhood lost in that maze. At the very centre was a stone pavilion, where he often went to sit and clear his mind. And that's where he headed now, knowing the twists and turns of the maze like the back of his hand.

He skipped up the steps of the pavilion, moving to sit on one of the small benches.

What was he going to do now?

He was glad that his brother was happy, of course, but the way things were going, Ludwig would be married before him.

Nobody wants their younger sibling to marry before them.

He wanted to find someone, but he didn't want to rush into anything. As overly clichéd and pseudo-romantic as it sounded, he wanted to fall in love with someone completely. To love everything about them, even their flaws, and for that person to love everything about him.

He sighed. It wasn't like that was going to happen any time soon.

He was about to leave and go back to the party when the faint sound of crying caught his attention. He looked over the side of the pavilion to find someone, a man, curled up and weeping into his folded arms. "Excuse me," he called.

The man gasped, jumping to his feet. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"Whoa, calm down." Gilbert jumped over the side of the pavilion, placing his hands on the man's shoulders. "What's wrong?"

The man's eyes widened when he saw who was talking to him. He bowed lowly, his strawberry blond hair falling into his face. "I am so sorry, your highness, I didn't realise it was you. C-Congratulations on your engagement." he rambled.

Gilbert sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. "Okay, first of all, stand up and just call me Gilbert." he instructed.

The man slowly straitened his back.

"Good." Gilbert smiled. "Secondly, where have you been all night? The engagement has been called off."

The man opened his mouth, presumably to ask why, but Gilbert cut him off.

"Last but not least, why were you crying?"

With a sniffle, the man's violet eyes refilled with tears. "I-I came here with my boyfriend as kind of a make-or-break thing. We argued and he told me... h-he told me tha-that he... n-never wants to s-see me ag-again..." he began to sob again, pushing up his glasses to rub at his puffy eyes.

Oh, shit.

Gilbert was awful at comforting people, he always ended up saying completely the wrong thing. Which sucked doubly, because he also hated seeing people upset.

He awkwardly wound an arm around the weeping man's shoulders. "Well, that's his loss." he said, lowly. "You're fucking adorable." He regretted it the moment he said it, but he couldn't take it back now.

The man blushed, ducking his head down and hiding behind his fringe.

A few moments of awkward silence passed between the two before Gilbert asked the man to come and sit in the pavilion with him. The man nodded and followed him to the front of the pavilion and up the few short steps.

More silence, but strangely comfortable this time, not awkward at all.

With a faint smile, Gilbert noted that the music from the hall could still be heard, albeit slightly muffled. He turned to face the man sat beside him. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Matthew." the man replied.

"Well then, Matthew," the prince stood, holding a hand out to Matthew. "Would you like to dance?"

Another blush settled on Matthew's face, but still he smiled and took Gilbert's hand, letting the prince pull him to his feet and place on hand on his waist.

 _When your tears are spent_  
On your last pretence  
And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defence  
When it's in your spine  
Like you've walked for miles  
And the only thing you want is just to be still for a while

Gilbert lead the dance, pulling Matthew close to him and guiding him around the pavilion, spinning and side-stepping in perfect rhythm.

 _And if your heart wears thin_  
I will hold you up  
And I will hide you  
When it gets too much  
I'll be right beside you  
I'll be right beside you

At first, Matthew's dancing was a little clumsy. He tripped and missed beats, not being used to dancing this way. But Gilbert just smiled at him and continued to lead them.

 _You're overwhelmed_  
And you've lost your breath  
And the space between the things you know is blurring none the less  
When you try to speak  
But you make no sound  
And the words you want are out of reach, but they've never been so loud

Slowly, he got the hang of it, and moved with Gilbert in near-perfect time.

 _And if your heart wears thin_  
I will hold you up  
And I will hide you  
When it gets too much  
I'll be right beside you  
I'll be right beside you  
I will stay  
Nobody will break you

Gilbert knew this was sudden, and he'd never been one to believe in ' _love at first sight_ '—he left that overly romantic nonsense to his friend, Francis—but as he danced with Matthew, staring into the man's violet eyes and watching the cute blush on his face grow ever-darker, he felt his heart begin to melt.

 _Trust in me, trust in me_  
Don't pull away  
Trust in me, trust in me  
I'm just trying to keep this together  
Because I could do worse and you could do better

Taking hold of Matthew's wrists, Gilbert pulled his arms around his neck, winding his own arms around the man's waist, pulling him closer.

 _When your tears are spent_  
On your last pretence  
And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defence

Matthew didn't think he'd ever blushed this much in his life. He leaned into Gilbert, even if it was just subconsciously, and smiled to himself. He'd met Gilbert a grand total of ten minutes ago, if that, and he was already enjoying himself more—as well as feeling more comfortable—than he ever did with Leodanis, his ex boyfriend.

 _And if your heart wears thin_  
I will hold you up  
And I will hide you  
When it gets too much  
I'll be right beside you  
Nobody will break you.

As the song finished, they stopped dancing, but stayed in each other's embrace.

' _This is it,_ ' thought Gilbert, staring down at the man in his arms. ' _Kiss him!_ ' He slowly began leaning down, his eyes half-lidded.

Initially, Matthew panicked. His breath became slightly heavier, but not enough to notice.

Gilbert softly brushed his lips against Matthew's, pulling away after mere seconds.

For the longest moment, the two just stood perfectly still in each other's arms, staring into each other's eyes. It was all terribly cliché, but they both loved the feeling it gave them.

"Gilbert! I knew I'd find you here."

Queen Heidi's voice cut through their moment of serenity. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the man in her son's hold. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" she asked, taking a step back.

Gilbert reluctantly broke their embrace, turning to face his mother. "It's fine, mutti." he said, a dark blush on his cheeks.

Heidi chuckled, glancing at Matthew. "Hello, dear." she smiled. "My name is Heidi, I'm Gilbert's mother." she introduced.

Matthew bowed lowly. "Y-Yes, your majesty, I know who you are." he said, peeking up over the top of his glasses, through his fringe. "I-I'm Matthew."

"It's very nice to meet you, Matthew." Heidi grabbed Matthew by the shoulders, gently pushing him upright. "Gilbert," she turned to her eldest son, giving a wicked smile. "You should have told me this was the reason you didn't want to marry Feliciano."

Gilbert's cheeks fired up. "N-No, mutti. Matthew and I just met." he corrected.

"Oh, is that so?" the queen gave a quiet hum. "I'm sorry. You just seemed so comfortable that I assumed you'd known each other for quite a while." She shrugged. "I just came to tell you that Antonio and Lovino are leaving soon. I thought you might want to say goodbye."

"Oh, ja. I'll be there in a moment."

With that, queen Heidi gave one last smile to Matthew before she turned and walked away.

Once his mother was out of earshot, Gilbert took a deep breath, facing Matthew again. "Look," he said. "I know we've just met and all but... I'd very much like to... c-court you..."

Matthew's face once again burned bright red. He glanced down and began playing with his cuffs. "I-I'd... like that, too..." he muttered.

Gilbert smiled widely, wrapping his arms around Matthew and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm so glad."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is something I'd initially posted over on FF, but I'm pretty much done with that site now, so I'm moving it over here.  
> This chapter was a hell of a lot longer than I intended it to be. I am so sorry for making you read this much fluff that has little to do with the actual plot. I don't think the plot will actually kick in until about chapter 3...  
> Leodanis is Cuba, by the way. I didn't want to call him Carlos because I can't take that name seriously, so I googled Cuban names and I really liked that one.  
> This was written in a single night when I was in too much pain to sleep, so please forgive any mistakes.  
> The song for this chapter is Beside You by Marianas Trench.  
> ~Lolly xXx


	2. Until My Heart Stops

From that awkward first encounter, a passionate love affair blossomed.

Only one year passed before Gilbert announced his intentions to propose to Matthew to his family.

Heidi was more than pleased, talking excitedly about the wedding and how she was going to help so much with the planning of not only the wedding, but the actual proposal.

Gilbert stopped her there. He appreciated the offer, but he really wanted to do this himself.

It was exactly one year after the night they met when Feliciano turned up at Matthew's house, saying that Gilbert needed to see Matthew urgently.

The Canadian let Feliciano pull him out of the house and into the black car that was waiting outside for them. The car drove them to the palace, where Feliciano guided Matthew to the entrance of the old maze.

"Gilbert said he'd wait for you at the centre." he said, smiling brightly.

Matthew raised an eyebrow, but started to walk through the now familiar twists and turns of the maze. He kept walking until he reached the stone pavilion, the place where he and Gilbert had met and shared their first dance. And their first kiss.

He smiled fondly at the memory, bringing his hand up to gently brush his lips with the very tips of his fingers.

Still, this was all very strange.

Feliciano had said that Gilbert would be waiting here for him, yet the prince was nowhere to be seen.

Matthew hummed, walking up the few short steps of the pavilion. Honestly, what was Gilbert up to?

That's when he heard it. That song. The song he and Gilbert had danced to for the first time a year ago.

He smiled, leaning over the side of the pavilion, happily humming along to the familiar melody.

"You know,"

The sound of the slightly nasally voice that Matthew knew all to well made the Canadian jump. He whipped around to face his partner, cheeks warm.

"They say the first year of a relationship is the most important." Gilbert took Matthew's previous position, leaning over the side of the pavilion. "If the year is good, then the relationship as a whole will be amazing."

Matthew smiled, pulling himself up to sit on the side. "I guess that means it only gets better from here."

A few moments passed where there the only sound was the music still playing in the distance.

Pushing himself away from the side of the pavilion, Gilbert cleared his throat. "My mother is thinking of stepping down soon." he stated.

Matthew frowned. "That's a shame." he replied, sincerely. "You mother is a great queen."

Gilbert nodded. "Well... When she steps down... I'll be taking over..." He felt his confidence steadily slipping away as he spoke. "...but I... I don't think I'll be able to do it alone."

Matthew felt his heart speed up. He put his head down, staring at Gilbert's back over the tops of his glasses, through strands of blond. "Where is this going, Gil?" he asked, biting his lip.

With a low groan, Gilbert glanced back over his shoulder. "I was hoping you'd figure it out..."

"Maybe I want to hear you say it."

Taking a deep breath, Gilbert reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, velvet box as he turned to face Matthew, opening the box and presenting him with a white-gold band, decorated with a single ruby. Matthew's birthstone. "Will you marry me?"

A small smile appeared on Matthew's face, slowly widening as tears began swelling up in his eyes. He didn't say anything. He just kept shifting his gaze from Gilbert to the ring and back again.

A few moments of silence passed between the two, each nanosecond making Gilbert worry more and more.

"B-Birdie...?" Gilbert bit down on his lip. "Please say som—"

Gilbert didn't manage to finish his sentence before he was tackled to the ground in a bone crushing hug. "Of course I will!"

* * *

Heidi literally squealed in joy when she found out that Matthew had said yes. Matthew's cheeks had never been kissed so many times in his life.

For the most part Matthew was happy to let Heidi and Gilbert plan the wedding with the Lord Chamberlain. He put is foot down at Gilbert suggesting he wear a dress. No matter how 'awesome' the prince seemed to think he'd look. Not surprisingly, the Lord Chamberlain agreed with him and picked out some materials for a nice suit.

The fitting wasn't as much of a nightmare as Matthew had thought it would be. It was irritating, having to stand still for so long, but that's all it was. And he had the Lord Chamberlain talking to him while it was all happening, so that took his mind off it.

"Matthew," the Lord Chamberlain sighed, running a hand through his unruly blond hair. "can I ask you something?"

"Certainly." replied Matthew.

The Lord Chamberlain shooed away the tailors, taking Matthew's hand and leading him to the couch that sat against the wall. "First off, I want you to know that this isn't a conversation between the Lord Chamberlain and future queen."

Matthew inwardly winced. ' _Don't remind me of that!_ ' he thought.

"Rather, I want you to imagine that we're friends."

"R-Right..." said Matthew, giving a nod. "What is it you want to talk to me about... uh..." he bit his lip, slightly embarrassed that in all the time that he had been dating Gilbert, he'd never learnt the Lord Chamberlain's name.

This made the Lord Chamberlain chuckle. "Arthur." he answered.

Matthew smiled back, shyly. "Sorry." he muttered.

Arthur simply shook his head. "Now, Matthew," he lay his hand atop the future queen's. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Tipping his head to the side, Matthew gave a confused look. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Surely, you understand that at the end of your wedding, yourself and Gilbert shall be crowned king and queen."

"Y-Yes, I know that."

Arthur gave a serious look. "Being queen is a big responsibility, Matthew. And you'd be giving up so much." he said.

"I'm aware." Matthew replied.

With a sigh, Arthur tightened his grip on Matthew's hands. "I don't want you to go into this lightly, Matthew."

"Arthur," Matthew tugged his hands away. "I appreciate what you're saying, I really do. But I love Gilbert more than you can imagine." he smiled, his cheeks beginning to glow. "I don't care about what I'm giving up or gaining. I'm going to marry Gilbert because I love him."

Arthur stared at Matthew with his serious gaze for a moment, before his expression softened into a smile. "I like you, Matthew." he said. "You're going to make a wonderful queen." With that, he got to his feet and began walking away.

"Arthur." Matthew called.

The Lord Chamberlain turned to look at him.

"Just out of interest, did Heidi ask you to talk to me?"

Arthur's eyes widened momentarily. "You're a clever one, Matthew."

* * *

Matthew paced around the small room, near hyperventilating.

Today was the day.

He wanted this. He wanted to get married, he really did. But he was  _so_ nervous!

He sat down. Then stood back up again and went back to pacing.

A quiet knock came on the door. "Matthew, it's me, dear." called a familiar voice.

"C-Come in." Matthew called out in a mousy voice.

The door opened and Heidi stepped in. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

Matthew took a deep breath. "Anxious."

"Anxious nervous, or anxious excited?"

"Both..."

Heidi smiled. "Sounds about right." She wrapped her arm around Matthew's almost shaking form and pulled him over to the floor length mirror, turning him to face it and putting her hands on his shoulders. "Look at you."

Matthew looked into the mirror. His suit looked wonderful on him, or so the tailors had told him. It was white with a silverish hem and a red rose in the top button hole.

"In a matter of hours, you'll be queen." commented Heidi.

Matthew groaned. "Don't tell me that!"

Giving a chuckle, Heidi lay her head against Matthew's. "I know it's daunting. But I also happen to know you'll be a great ruler." she said.

"But..." Matthew sighed, looking down at the floor. "What if I'm not? What if I let everyone down? I... I don't think I could take that..."

"Matthew," Heidi spun her soon to be son-in-law round to face her. "Trust me when I say I know how you feel. I was exactly the same way before my coronation. I was scared. But, look at me now! I did a decent enough job, don't you think?"

"You're an amazing queen."

"As will you be." Heidi smiled brightly, pulling Matthew into a hug. "Believe me."

Another knock came at the door as Matthew and Heidi broke apart.

"Come in." called Matthew.

The door opened to reveal a man with short, sandy blond hair and blue eyes shielded by thick glasses.

"Alfred." Matthew smiled, facing his twin.

Alfred smiled back. "Wow, you look amazing, Mattie." he said. "Are you ready?"

Matthew took a deep breath, glancing back to Heidi, who nodded and smiled. "Yes." he replied. "I am."

* * *

Gilbert was shaking. Visibly shaking.

It was finally happening. After God knows how long of planning, he was finally getting married. And he felt... sick.

He was excited and terrified at the same time. He and Matthew were getting married and becoming king and queen in a matter of hours.

Gilbert was dreading becoming king.

Matthew was mature, dependable and soft hearted. He'd make a wonderful queen. Gilbert, on the other hand, was brash and arrogant.

The poor prince nearly leapt out of his skin when he felt a hand fall on his shoulder.

"S-Sorry." stuttered Ludwig, taking a step back.

"I-I wasn't scared!" Gilbert quickly lied.

"Of course not."

Heaving a sigh, Gilbert glanced around the church. Everyone he'd ever met was there, from close friends and family, to that Dutch lord he'd met once, years ago. "Lord Chamberlain invited Lars?" he asked.

Ludwig nodded. "Lord Chamberlain was told to invite everyone, and that's what he did." he replied.

Gilbert hummed and went back to surveying the room, fiddling with the sleeves of his suit jacket. His breath hitched when he saw his mother quickly dash into place. That meant Matthew was on his way and... oh, God. Now he felt sick again.

He closed his eyes, trying to regain his breath and calm himself down. When he opened them again, the first thing he saw was Matthew.

He watched as his red-faced husband to be walked towards him, feeling more and more of his worries melt away with each step Matthew took.

Finally, they were stood together, hands linked.

The Lord Chamberlain had made it so Gilbert and Matthew wore matching suits. Matthew's was white, Gilbert's was black. Matthew had a red rose in his button hole, Gilbert had a blue rose.

After what felt like an eternity of just staring at each other, Gilbert and Matthew's attentions were caught by the priest.

* * *

"...with Gods and fellow men as witness, do you, Gilbert Beilschmidt, take Matthew Williams to be your husband?"

Gilbert looked at Matthew with nothing but care and adoration in his eyes. "I do." he announced.

"And do you, Matthew Williams, take Gilbert Beilschmidt to be your husband?"

Matthew came to the realisation that he'd have to stop biting his lip to reply, but if he released his lip from his teeth, the tears would come. Taking a deep breath, Matthew opened his mouth. "I do." he whispered, as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Then, it is my honour to declare you bound for eternity."

Gilbert gently tugged Matthew closer, leaning forward himself to press a kiss to his husband's lips.

Instantly, both Gilbert and Matthew were feeling a lot better about their coronation. As if the kiss that sealed their marriage, somehow gave them the confidence they needed.

Shortly after they broke apart, both blushing like silly schoolgirls, the priest stepped down from the alter and Heidi took his place. Quickly clearing her throat to make sure she had everyone's attention, she spoke.

"As you all know, today is not only my son's wedding, but also his coronation. Today, I step down from the throne and hand it over to Gilbert and Matthew." She announced. "I am sure you will all agree with me when I say that these two shall make fine rulers."

The room cheered their agreement, ceasing only when Heidi spoke again.

"Gilbert,"

Gilbert faced his mother, giving a nod before kneeling before her.

"As my first born son, you have legal and just claim to the throne. And I know in my heart that you will be the best leader that you can be." she turned, lifting the crown the belonged to her late husband from it's cushion. "So, I now crown you, Gilbert Beilschmidt, as king." She placed the crown atop her son's head, taking a step back. "Rise."

Gilbert got to his feet, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from shaking.

Heidi gave a quiet chuckle. "Don't look so terrified." She turned to Matthew, catching hold of his hands. "Are you ready?" she whispered.

"Not really." replied the Canadian, sinking to his knees.

"Matthew, I knew from first sight that you'd make a fine queen." she turned in the opposite direction and lifted her own crown from it's cushion. "So, I now crown you, Matthew Beilschmidt, as queen." She gently lay the other crown on Matthew's head, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Rise."

Matthew did as he was told, not realising how badly he was shaking until Gilbert caught hold of his hand. He looked up at his husband, who was giving him a reassuring smile. There was nothing Matthew could do but smile back.

"And now," Heidi spoke again. "I propose a toast." She took her goblet from the hands of the Lord Chamberlain and lifted it into the air, smiling widely. "To the king and queen!"

The room once again erupted into cheers and applause, chants of "Long live the king" and "Long live the queen" were heard, making Matthew's face glow.

* * *

"Are you nervous?" whispered Gilbert, pressing light kisses to his husband's cheek.

Matthew nodded, whimpering quietly.

"Don't be."

"It's not that easy."

Gilbert gave a soft chuckle. "Then, does it help to know that I'm just as nervous as you are?" he asked.

"A little." replied Matthew, wrapping his arms around Gilbert's shoulders.

Gilbert began to softly lay kisses down his husband's neck, one hand unbuttoning his shirt.

Matthew brought his shaking arms up to wrap around Gilbert, giving quiet whimpers as the other's lips repeatedly brushed against the most sensitive parts of his neck.

Pulling Matthew into his lap, Gilbert pushed the now open cotton shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall onto the bed. He pulled away from his neck, instead capturing those beautiful lips.

Gently, he lay Matthew against the pillows, his hands travelling down his body to get rid of his belt.

Hands still lightly trembling, Matthew began to undo the buttons of Gilbert's shirt.

By the time he'd managed to undo them all, Gilbert had already removed both of their trousers.

Matthew leaned up, pressing a brief kiss to Gilbert's lips. "I..." he started, before biting his bottom lip.

"You...?"

"I'm  _really_  nervous." Matthew whispered.

Gilbert smiled at him, sweetly. "Same." he replied. He softly pushed Matthew back down, leaning down with him and connecting their lips again. "I love you." he said, as they pulled apart.

"I love you, too."

With another smile, Gilbert hooked his fingers beneath the waistband of his husband's underwear, pulling them down with his own following soon after. His hands slid over Matthew's thighs, making the Canadian shiver. Gently, he pried his legs apart, settling himself between them. He kissed his husband once more as he reached over to the night stand, pulling a tube of lubricant from his drawer.

Matthew bit down on his lower lip again. He began to breathe deeply in a feeble attempt to calm himself. He let out a sharp gasp when he felt the first of Gilbert's lubed fingers slowly circle his entrance.

When Gilbert finally eased his finger in, Matthew threw one arm over his eyes, letting out a small whimper.

"Are you okay?" asked Gilbert, soothingly stroking Matthew's thigh with his free hand.

Matthew nodded, keeping his eyes hidden.

Gilbert trailed his hand up Matthew's body, finding the Canadian's hand and lacing their fingers together.

Timidly, Matthew peeked out from behind his arm, making Gilbert smile when their eyes met.

Gilbert only continued after Matthew gave a slight nod, indicating that it was okay. He moved his fingers slowly, taking extra care to not harm his husband.

Matthew gave quiet mewls at random intervals, trying to get used to the peculiar sensations of Gilbert's fingers inside him.

Leaning forward slightly, Gilbert pulled Matthew's hand up to his mouth, placing soft kisses on his knuckles as he removed his fingers. He grabbed the lubricant from the bed and slicked his member with it, before tossing the bottle to the floor. "Are you ready?" he whispered.

"Yes," Matthew breathed in response. "I'm ready."

Gilbert nodded, leaning down to capture his husband's lips as he slowly eased himself in.

Matthew tensed momentarily, before willing his body to relax. He wound his arms around Gilbert's torso, his hands on his shoulders.

Pressing sweet kisses to Matthew's neck and shoulder, Gilbert began to lightly thrust his hips, gasping at his husband's tightness.

Wrapping his legs around his husband's waist, Matthew gave an experimental roll of his hips, mewling softly. He waiting a little while before rolling them again, this time letting out a slightly louder whimper.

Gilbert kissed up Matthew's neck and across his jaw, before finally landing his lips on his queen's. He pried Matthew's mouth open with his tongue, intertwining it with Matthew's own.

Matthew's moans got louder as Gilbert's thrusts progressively got faster.

Their mouths broke apart as Matthew threw his head back with a high pitched yelp. "Ah, Gilbert!" he moaned out. "There!"

Gilbert smirked, giving a particularly harsh thrust, slightly off where he was. "Here?" he asked, teasingly.

Matthew groaned. "G-Gilbert,  _please_!"

With a chuckle, Gilbert aimed his thrusts in the right place, but moved so he just lightly brushed against Matthew's prostate.

Whimpered sobs fell from Matthew's lips. "Don't tease me!" he whined, rolling his hips.

After a few more drawn out moments of painful teasing, Gilbert abruptly returned to his original pace, hitting Matthew's prostate head on.

Matthew let out a loud moan, throwing his head back against the pillows as his nails bit into the skin of Gilbert's shoulders.

With a sharp hiss, Gilbert leant down to nibble at Matthew's collarbone, leaving a trail of love bites in his wake.

"G-Gilbert." Matthew panted out, tightening his legs around his husband's waist. "I-I love you."

"I... I love you... more" Gilbert replied, pulling away from Matthew's collarbone to once again capture his lips.

Their tongues danced to the tune of their moans mixing together inside their mouths.

It wasn't long before Matthew felt his tummy grow hot, signalling his impending climax. "G-Gilbert," he moaned out, pulling his mouth away. "I'm getting... cl-close..."

Gilbert groaned, burying his nose in the crook of Matthew's neck. "S-So am I..." he replied. His thrusts became slightly harder and more precise, aiming to hit Matthew's prostate with every thrust.

Tightening his grip on Gilbert's shoulders, Matthew leant up to latch his mouth onto his husband's neck, suckling lightly and leaving a few love bites of his own. He let go with a gasp as Gilbert gave a particularly hard thrust.

Again, their lips were joined, both of them moaning as they reached their simultaneous orgasm.

Gilbert gently pulled out of his husbands likely sore entrance, collapsing beside him in the bed. He pulled the thick quilt up to cover them as Matthew turned into him, snuggling up as close as he could.

"I love you more." the Canadian whispered as his eyes gently closed.

Gilbert chuckled, raking his hands through Matthew's damp hair. "Impossible." he replied, pressing a kiss to Matthew's forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the poor wedding scene. The only wedding I have been to that I clearly remember is my dad's and that wasn't exactly normal... I also went to my 'big sister's' wedding when I was about 4 or 5, but I don't remember that. I tried researching, but that only got me so far.  
> The song for this chapter is Until My Heart Stops by Jessica Lee.  
> Lolly~ xXx


	3. As The World Falls Down

The thin curtains did a poor job of filtering out the sunlight, letting it spill across the carpeted floor of the bedroom, shadows from the trees outside casting interesting shapes.

Matthew was still fast asleep. Or, so it would seem. He was lying on his side with his eyes closed, one arm under his pillow. His breaths were soft and even, much like if he were actually asleep. But Gilbert knew better.

With a smile, he wrapped an arm around Matthew's waist, searching for his hand and interlocking their fingers when he finally found it. "You see that?" he whispered, pressing a light kiss to the nape of his husband's neck. "It's like the spaces between my fingers where made to be filled with yours."

Matthew couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "Are you going to wake me up with cheesy lines like that every morning?" he asked.

"Aww, c'mon." Gilbert sat up, running his fingers through Matthew's hair. "I thought that one was sweet."

Over the past two years, Gilbert had developed the habit of whispering the most sickeningly sweet things he could think of into Matthew's ear every morning.

It's not that Matthew didn't appreciate his husband's attempts at romance, but these where the sort of lines from romance novels that he used to laugh at.

Finally opening his eyes, Matthew pulled himself up, stretching his arms above his head. "What time is it?" he asked.

"About time to get up."

Matthew groaned quietly. "Can't I go back to sleep for a few more minutes?" he whined.

With a frown, Gilbert put an arm around the queen's shoulders. "Are you still feeling ill?" he asked, stroking Matthew's bed-mussed hair out of his face.

Matthew bit his lip. "A little." he responded, hugging his knees to his chest.

Over the past few weeks, Matthew had spent the majority of time in bed due to a stomach bug.

"Then go back to sleep." Gilbert gave a soft smile, pressing a kiss to the queen's forehead.

As Gilbert got up and ready for the day, Matthew lay back down, curling himself in the covers and closing his eyes.

With a quiet chuckle, Gilbert sat beside him on the bed and kissed his forehead once again. "I'll send one of the girls in with your breakfast in about an hour." he whispered.

Matthew made a small noise in his throat, already half asleep.

Gilbert stood and exited the room, closing the door as quietly as possible. He barely took three steps before running into Alfred.

The American was wearing the same faded denim jeans and baggy t-shirt that he had on the previous day. His hair was unbrushed and his shoes were untied. He had 'walk of shame' written all over him.

"Good morning, Alfred." the king greeted.

Alfred look up, a little red-faced. "Oh, mornin' Gil." he replied. "Is Mattie still sleeping?"

Gilbert nodded. "He wasn't feeling well, so he went back to sleep." He gave a knowing smirk. "And Arthur?"

Every shade of red known to man coloured Alfred's face. "Why would I know that?" he asked, avoiding Gilbert's gaze.

"I'm not stupid, Alfred." Gilbert chuckled.

"Please don't tell my brother!" pleaded Alfred. "He'd freak!"

Gilbert raised an eyebrow. "He knows." he replied.

Alfred almost choked on his own saliva. "H-How?" he stuttered, eyes wide.

"Because he's not stupid, either."

If it were possible, Alfred's face would have darkened. He muttered to himself for a moment before shrugging and going back the way he came.

Gilbert assumed he was going back to Arthur's room. He smiled. He liked the way that Alfred and Arthur balanced each other out. They were perfect for each other.

Shaking his head, Gilbert chuckled and got on with his day. Unfortunately, his day consisted of boring meetings and boring paperwork, but whatever.

* * *

An hour later, there came a timid knock on the king and queen's bedroom door.

Matthew sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Come in." he called, feeling for his glasses on the bedside table.

In came a small blonde girl, pushing a trolley. "Good morning, your majesty." she greeted with a curtsy.

"Lili, please." Matthew sighed. "I thought I asked you to call me Matthew."

Lili frowned, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, your majesty, I can't do that." she responded. She pushed the trolley further into the room, stopping at the side of the bed. "I brought your breakfast." She picked the tray up off the trolley and placed it across Matthew's lap.

"Thank you, Lili." Matthew smiled, picking up his cutlery. He was glad it was Lili who'd come up. As much as he loved them, he didn't think he could handle Elizabeta or Michelle so early in the morning.

With another curtsy, Lili went to stand against the wall, waiting for Matthew to finish. "King Gilbert said you were unwell." she said, clasping her hands together in front of her.

Matthew sighed, brushing his hair out of his face. "Lili," he muttered, placing his cutlery back down on the tray. "Can I tell you something?"

* * *

Within a few minutes, Lili had left the queen with his own company and returned to the kitchen. She was shaking, hands barely able to hold onto the trolley as she wheeled it back into place, taking the tray over to the side and dropping the dishes into the sink.

Her shaking hands didn't go unnoticed.

"Lili?" Elizabeta, a girl with brunette hair that was tied into a neat ponytail, placed her hand on the smaller girl's back. "Are you alright, dear?"

More than anything, Lili wanted to tell Elizabeta, or anyone, what the queen had just told her. But, she made a promise. Her lips were sealed. "I'm fine." she responded with a small smile.

Elizabeta frowned, staring hard at the blonde. "Don't lie to me." she grumbled, folding her arms.

Lili bit her lip, wringing her hands. "Eliza, please don't press this!" she muttered. "If you do, I'll break and tell you, and I promised Queen Matthew that I wouldn't!"

With a sigh, Elizabeta backed off, going back to whatever it was that she was doing before.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gilbert was chatting to the prince of a neighbouring kingdom, and old friend of his who had arrived hours too early for a meeting.

Thus far, the prince, Francis, had been content with idle chitchat, but Gilbert could tell what he really wanted was to get business out of the way so he could go home and enjoy the rest of his day.

"This meeting," said the prince, a French lilt to his voice. "when does it start?"

"Not for a few hours, I'm afraid." Gilbert frowned. "I wish I could keep you company until then, but I seem to have fallen behind on my paperwork." He reached a hand up to awkwardly scratch the back of his head.

Francis sighed, sweeping a hand across his face to brush back his blond hair. "Ah, but what this world really needs is more love and less paperwork." he said with a smile.

Gilbert responded with loud laughter. "I'd love to hear you say that to Matthew."

At that moment, Matthew rounded the corner, fiddling with his own fingers and looking awfully worried about something.

"Speak of the devil." chuckled Gilbert.

Matthew looked up with wide eyes, taking a shaky step back and sweeping any invisible dust from his person as the two men walked towards him. "G-Good morning." he greeted with a smile.

"I think you mean 'good afternoon'" Gilbert replied, smiling as he watched Matthew start to worry about sleeping in so late. "Don't worry, Birdie. You're sick, it's alright." He gestured towards the visiting prince. "Matthew, you remember Prince Francis? He's here for the meeting." he introduced.

"The meeting?" Matthew raised an eyebrow. "You're a little early."

Francis sighed. "Oui, it would appear so."

Gilbert lay a hand against the small of his husband's back. "Do you think you could keep him company while I finish my paperwork?" he asked.

With a smile, Francis caught hold of Matthew's hand, bringing it to his lips to lay a kiss against soft, pale skin. "Why don't you give me a tour, my queen?" he suggested.

"Certainly." replied Matthew, smiling back as he lead Francis down the hall.

* * *

A little over an hour later, and Matthew and Francis had reached the maze in the gardens.

Matthew moved confidently though the twists and turns of the old maze, leaving a worried Francis to trail behind him.

They eventually reached the pavilion, Matthew dashing up the steps and running over to the farthest bench. With a smile, he stared over the maze and towards the palace.

Francis smiled at the dreamy look on the queen's face and sat down beside him. "This place holds such good memories for you, doesn't it?" he asked, softly.

"It does." replied Matthew, without even looking up. He began to trace patterns on the stone bench with his finger, humming that song—their song.

"Are you happy, Matthew?"

Rather taken aback by this question, Matthew shot his gaze up to meet Francis'. "Of course I am." he replied. "What on earth made you ask such a thing?"

Francis sighed. "That expression on your face." he replied, only further confusing the queen. "You and Gilbert seem so perfect, like nothing between you could ever go wrong. I had to know if it was real, or just a front." he sighed. "It makes me so envious. I really wish I had what you and Gilbert have."

Giving a gentle smile, Matthew lay his hand against the prince's shoulder. "Someday, you will." he promised.

Francis reached up to lay his hand atop Matthew's. "Thank you, my queen." he replied with a solemn smile.

They sat there for a while, not really speaking, just looking out over the maze.

"Oh, my!" Matthew exclaimed, suddenly.

Francis turned to find the queen staring at his watch.

"It's almost time for the meeting, Francis." he said, catching hold of Francis' sleeve and leading back through the maze.

Soon enough, they were back inside the palace, rushing through the halls.

With a loud gasp, Matthew came to a sudden stop, leaning against the wall.

"M-My queen?" Francis caught hold of Matthew's shoulders, holding him up.

"I..." Matthew was breathing heavily, eyes screwed shut. "I feel unwell." he announced.

Francis frowned. "Let me escort you back to your quarters." he offered, putting an arm around the queen's waist and holding him upright as he led them back to the queen's bedroom.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the board room, Gilbert and most of his guests were waiting to start the meeting. However, with four missing members, that wasn't happening.

"Who exactly are we waiting on?" asked Natalya, a princess from Eastern Europe, who was attending the meeting in place of her elder brother, Ivan.

The Lord Chamberlain cast a glance around the room, then down to his book, taking attendance. "The missing parties are Prince Francis, Prince Sadik and Lord Lars, my princess."

Natalya scoffed. "What world allows princes and lords to settle the work of kings?" she grumbled.

Gilbert offered her a smile. "With all due respect, my lady, what king sends a princess in his place?" he replied.

With a glare, Natalya went back to reading over the papers on front of her, mumbling vehemently about how busy her brother was.

Before anything else could be said, the doors were pushed open and in stepped Francis with a polite smile. "I'm sorry for turning up so late." he said, moving towards his seat. "Queen Matthew was feeling a little ill, so I escorted him back to his chambers."

"Is he okay?" Gilbert questioned, getting to his feet.

"He is fine, your highness." Francis explained. "He is resting."

Gilbert nodded slowly, sitting back down. There was no real need to worry about Matthew. He was just a little unwell. Gilbert made a mental note to check on him after the meeting.

After a few more minutes of waiting, the decision was made to start the meeting without the two missing participants. Much to Princess Natalya's delight.

It was moments after the start of the meeting that Lord Lars strolled through the doors with an apology. Prince Sadik, it would appear, was a no show.

* * *

The meeting went on for much longer than Gilbert would have liked. Nothing all that important was discussed and nothing interesting happened, so it was really just a waste of everyone's time.

After bidding goodbye to everyone, including a tired, irritable Natalya, Gilbert headed to his room. He had every intention of making sure Matthew was okay and going straight to sleep, paperwork be damned!

He pushed the door to his bedroom open, shedding his suit jacket as he crossed the threshold.

His breath caught in his throat as he noticed the empty bed. He inhaled deeply, telling himself to calm down. Matthew was probably just in the bathroom.

Gilbert shook his head, as if to rid himself of stressful thoughts, and folded his jacket neatly over the back of the chair that sat in front of the dresser. "Birdie?" he called, making his way over to the bathroom door and lightly rapping his fingers on the wood. "You okay?"

He started worrying again when he received no response. "Matthew?" he called again, louder this time. Still nothing. He pushed open the door, staring into the empty bathroom. "M-Matthew?"

The king turned on his heel, exiting his room and moving briskly down the hall, not stopping until he reached his brother's room. "Ludwig!" he called inside, banging on the door. "Open up!"

The door was pulled open after a couple of moments of muffled complaints, Ludwig fully ready to rant at his brother about the noise level. He stopped short when he caught sight of Gilbert's worried expression. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Do you know where Matthew is?"

"I thought he was sleeping." Ludwig frowned.

"So did I." replied Gilbert, running a hand through his hair. "But he's not. And he's not in the bathroom, either."

Ludwig could physically see his brother starting to panic. "Calm down." he instructed, placing a hand on Gilbert's shoulder. "Go and see if Mutti knows where he is and I'll go see if Lord Chamberlain does."

With a shaky nod, Gilbert turned towards his mother's quarters.

Within minutes, Gilbert had the entire palace's occupants searching for the missing queen. With each passing moment, the sense of dread grew.

An hour passed. Then two. Then three. Gilbert was on the verge of tears, having to physically stop himself from shaking.

It got worse when Alfred entered the sitting room. Alone. His worried expression said it all. "I just called my parents." he stated. "He's not there."

Gilbert's upper body fell forward, his head falling into his hands as he swore under his breath. "Chamberlain." he muttered.

"Yes, your majesty?" Arthur stood up straight, awaiting the expected order.

"Call the guards." the king replied. "Tell them that Queen Matthew is missing and I want the entire nation searched!"

Arthur bowed slightly. "Right away." he said, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm also sorry for skipping over the meeting, but it would all be filler, so I'm sure you aren't too mad, oui?  
> The song for this chapter is As The World Falls Down by David Bowie.  
> ~Lolly xXx


End file.
